Hot Air: Cris Collinsworth slams Tony Romo: 'it just gets worse'

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) makes his way back to the field during a break in play in a game against the Washington Redskins during the first half of play at FedEx Field in Landover, MD on Sunday, December 30, 2012.

Analysts’ predictions of disastrous finish started early, then were proved true

In one sentence at halftime, Al Michaels delivered what turned out to be the perfect epitaph:

With the score tied at 7, he called the Cowboys “A team on the precipice as they always seem to be.”

And then the Cowboys proceeded to again fall off the cliff during their nationally televised playoff-elimination loss to the Washington Redskins. They lost the second half, 21-11.

In an NBC Sunday Night Football game, which we will learn Monday probably had the largest television audience of the NFL season, quarterback Tony Romo reintroduced nightmarish performances of Decembers past.

Seconds after NBC posted a graphic about his terrific fourth quarters over the last half-dozen games — which included no interceptions — Romo reversed fields. He threw a short pass intended for DeMarco Murray instead into the hands of Redskins linebacker Rob Jackson. It was Romo’s third interception of the night.

Analyst Cris Collinsworth, who began banging away at Romo after he threw two first-quarter interceptions, pulled out the sledgehammer.

“It started horribly and it looks like it may end horribly,” Collinsworth said, referring to Romo.

Collinsworth, by the way, always sounds more critical of Romo than his fellow lead analysts, Fox’s Troy Aikman and CBS’ Phil Simms, both former quarterbacks. Maybe they have more empathy for one of their own.

Not so much Collinsworth, who was a wide receiver. America will remember his words.

“For Tony Romo,” he concluded, “it just gets worse.”

Michael Irvin’s take: Early Sunday morning, the NFL Network analyst called it “a legacy game for Tony Romo.”

Love at high sight: NBC offered too many shots from a high angle camera that must have been planted atop the Washington Monument.

Why Al Michaels is Aikman’s favorite play-by-play voice not named Joe Buck: When Collinsworth said Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin had the sleight of hand ball-control artistry that would make him a great Harlem Globetrotter, Michaels didn’t skip a beat and mentioned the Washington Generals, the Globie’s proverbial patsies.

Injury report: NBC sideline reporter Michele Tafoya and the broadcast itself did an excellent job of immediately spotting and tracking Cowboys injuries. The network was on top of the Miles Austin and Dez Bryant situations from start to finish.

A coaches’ game: In the CBS studio, Boomer Esiason picked the Redskins to beat the Cowboys. “Mike Shanahan over Jason Garrett. It’s as simple as that.”

More on Garrett: Fox and ESPN pre-game insiders reported once again that Garrett was safe to return next season. They might as well have reported again the sun will continue to rise in the East. Then NBC’s Mike Florio opined that Jon Gruden would be a candidate if Jerry Jones looks to replace Garrett. It’s a disease.

Tweet of the day (NFL department): From Fort Worth’s @JohnSolbergFX: “Player who holds NFL single season rushing record is from Sealy. Guy who might break it is from Palestine.”

Tweet of the day (Cowboys department): From @DeMarcusWare: “Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever. CowboyNation!”